Nemesia plant named ‘GG Pearl’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nemesia  plant named ‘GG Pearl’, characterized by its compact, upright and mounded growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; light pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Nemesia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘GG Pearl’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nemesia,botanically known as Nemesia hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘GG Pearl’.

The new Nemesia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact, mounding andfreely-branching Nemesia cultivars with attractive flower coloration.

The new Nemesia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in November, 2005 in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan of a proprietaryselection of Nemesia hybrida identified as code number TNW-5, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with Nemesia hybrida ‘Pensug’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,811), not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The new Nemesia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hiratuka,Kanagawa, Japan in April, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Nemesia plant by vegetative cuttings ina controlled environment in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan since April, 2006,has shown that the unique features of this new Nemesia are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Nemesia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘GG Pearl’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘GG Pearl’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofNemesia:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and mounded growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. Light pink-colored flowers.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection primarily in flower color as plants of the femaleparent selection have purplish white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Nemesia can be compared to plants of the male parent,‘Pensug’. Plants of the new Nemesia differ from plants of ‘Pensug’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia are more compact than plants of        ‘Pensug’.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Pensug’.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Pensug’ differ in flower color        as plants of ‘Pensug’ have white-colored flowers.

Plants ofthe new Nemesia can also be compared to plants of ‘Puffy WhiteEye’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by theInventor in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan, plants of the new Nemesiadiffered from plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nemesia were more compact and mounding than        plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’.    -   2. Plants of the new Nemesia were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’.    -   3. Plants of the new Nemesia had larger inflorescences and        flowers than plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’.    -   4. Plants of the new Nemesia and ‘Puffy White Eye’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Puffy White Eye’ had light        violet-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Nemesia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Nemesia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘GG Pearl’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘GG Pearl’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Hiratuka, Kanagawa, Japan, undercommercial practice during the winter and early spring in aglass-covered greenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 12° C. to20° C. and night temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 8° C. Plants hadbeen growing for four months when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nemesia hybrida ‘GG Pearl’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Nemesia            hybrida identified as code number TNW-5, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Nemesia hybrida ‘Pensug’ (U.S.            Plant Pat. No. 12,811).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at temperatures of            20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 20 days at            temperatures of 15° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright and mounded growth            habit. Freely branching with two lateral branches            potentially forming at every node. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 13 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 27.9 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 8 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong; flexible.        -   Aspect.—Upright to somewhat outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Color.—Close to 144A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 2 cm.        -   Width.—About 9 mm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137B; venation, close to 144D. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,            close to 144D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.7 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Bilabiate solitary flowers            arranged on terminal racemes; flowering acropetally towards            the apex; flowers facing upright to outwardly. Freely            flowering habit with about six flowers per raceme and about            39 racemes per plant.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—In Japan, plants flower from late            summer to early autumn; flowering continuous during this            period. Flowers begin flowering about three months after            planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 8.1 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.9 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.1 cm by 2.1 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 9 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 1.9 mm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 2.3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Obovate. Length: About 9.5 mm. Diameter:            About 5.7 mm. Color: Close to 4D.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five modified petals; four upper petals            fused forming an upright lobed and arched banner lip; lower            petal modified into a larger lip with convex oval            protuberance serving as a nectar guide and insect landing            platform. Shape, upper lip: Elliptic. Shape, lower lip:            Cordate. Apex, upper lip: Rounded. Apex, lower lip: Cordate.            Margin, upper lip: Entire. Margin, lower lip: Entire;            slightly undulate. Length, upper lip: About 9.1 mm. Length,            lower lip: About 9.1 mm. Width, upper lip: About 3 mm to            6 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1.7 cm. Texture, upper and            lower lips, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, upper lip: When opening, upper surface: Close to 69C;            towards the throat, close to N155D. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 69C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            69D; towards the throat, close to N155D. Fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 69D. Color, lower lip: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 69C; nectar guide, close to 3A. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 69C. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 69D; nectar guide, close to 3A. Fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 69D. Color, throat and tube:            Close to 145D.        -   Spur.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm. Color:            Close to 4D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Calyx star-shaped with five sepals            fused at the base. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Length: About 2.6 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 0.4 mm.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per            flower. Stamen length: About 1.6 mm to 3.4 mm. Anther shape:            Narrowly elliptic. Anther size: About 1.5 mm by 0.7 mm.            Anther color: Close to 8A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 8B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 2.7 mm. Style color: Close to 145D.            Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color: Close to 145D. Ovary            color: Close to 143C. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development            have not been observed on plants of the new Nemesia.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Nemesia have not been    observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to Nemesia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Nemesia have been observed    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from 5° C. to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Nemesia plant named ‘GG Pearl’ as illustrated anddescribed.